Flowers and Forgiveness
by anonymousreader07
Summary: Instead of telling her what she wanted to hear he told her the words she, more than anyone else, deserved to hear.


Flowers and Forgiveness

First things first,

***Warning:** Story contains slight spoilers from episode, 'Who Can You Trust?' episode 11.

Okay I know the whole sceniro about what may have happened between Trent and Lindsay after the blowfish challenge has been done many times before but I just couldn't help myself when this story popped into my head. I gotta say I'm not to happy with the way this turned out idk it just seemed to come out diffrent than the way I was thinking about it (If that makes sense). And I feel as though I may have butchered the episode just a little bit but eh...what can you do? It is fanfiction after all!  
This story was inspired by His Story III from Scrubs. If you've seen it you'll know where I'm coming from, If you haven't very good episode! (I love the janitor!) =)

Enjoy!

* * *

"Todd…?"

Trent groaned a little but did not open his eyes.

Once again in a small voice she tried again, "Todd…?"

'That's not my name…'

"Oh Toooddd." She continued this time in a sing song voice.

'It's Trent.' He opened his green eyes to find a pair of wide baby blue eyes staring down at him.

Lindsay's smile was instant, "Oh good you're awake Todd!"

'Trent.' But he wanted to smile Lindsay's smile's were contagious. But he found he couldn't. He couldn't move! His whole body! He couldn't move a finger! All he could do was blink! What the hell!?

His now wide green eyes darted frantically from left to right!

'What happened!?' The now terrified boy thought, 'Why can't I move!? I can't talk! I can't-"

"What's wrong Todd!?" Cried Lindsay having noticed the boy's distress, she stood beside his bed in the medical tent that was located on the large island that the contest took place at.

"Is the fish coming back up again!?" She asked her face scrunching up in slight disgust.

'Fish!?'

"Should I go get Chef!?"

Then like a slap to the head it all came flooding back, the cooking challenge! The toxic blowfish that parallelizes the nerves! The toxic blowfish that parallelizes the nerves and has _no antidote_!!!

He made a strangled sound.

'Oh god! I'm paralyzed! I'll never be able to move again! I'm gonna be stuck like this for the rest of my life!'

"D-don't worry Todd!" Cried Lindsay with an upset look on her face interrupting his traumatic thoughts, "You're gonna be fine! Chef's totally working on the antidote right now…I think."

At this Trent stopped his upset grunts and groans his green eyes resting once more on the blonde.

"Well, Chip said you should be good as new in, like, twenty-four hours," Right, he remembered Chris saying that, "but just in case they decided to go ahead and make an antidote anyway. To avoid lawsuits."

He took a deep breath to calm himself before closing his eyes, 'Yeah that sounds about right.'

Silence ensued for a moment, then, "Todd?"

'Trent.' He opened his eyes.

She smiled, "Do you like need anything? Um I could fluff your pillow, or bring you a glass of water or…" She gave a clueless look, "Something."

'No thanks…' He thought warily.

Again silence she gave her head a curious tilt to the side as she studied the boy closely. He began to feel slightly nervous.

'Great, awkward silence. I _hate_ awkward silences. They suck even more when you literally can't do anything to prevent them.'

Finally the blonde spoke up, "You know after you stopped vomiting and Chef gave you mouth to mouth you passed out and you were out for, like,_ ever_."

Trent closed his eyes, 'Please tell me Gwen didn't see. Oh crud what am I thinking it's a reality TV show not only is she gonna see the _world_ is gonna see!' He gave a groan.

"And then," Continued the blonde, "After Chef dragged you back to the medical tent by your ankles he just threw you on the bed and left!"

'Well then maybe it's a good thing I'm paralyzed, I'm sure my head is pounding right now.'

Hands on her hips Lindsay said, "If you were to ask me I'd say that was totally rude! I mean just dumping you like you're a pair of last season shoes then running out like that! It was _sooo_ totally mean!"

'We're not talking about a saint here Lindsay its Chef. What do you expect?'

Lindsay grinned, "But it's totally cool. I don't mind spending time with you!" And with that she happily pulled up a chair to sit near his bed side.

'Oh that's…that's…_great_.'

Her grin then turned slightly sad as she then said, "I mean it's the least I can do for you…after I…messed up the challenge and," She looked away from him then, "got you sick…"

'Oh…no Lindsay, its-'

"I'm sorry." Came her quiet voice.

'It's alright, really, I'm going to be fi-'

Lindsay sighed, "I so totally thought I could do it." Blue eyes saddened softly, "I really thought I could…" She trailed off.

'Lindsay don't do that it wasn't your fault….Ok it_ was_ your fault but I don't want you beating yourself up about it!'

Lindsay then brought her hands up to clasp tightly against Trent's paralyzed hand. "But don't worry Todd! Like I said before I'm gonna_ totally_ make it up to you by taking care of you! Anything you need you just let me know and I can totally get it for you okay!"

'Sure but I don't see how that's gonna work seeing as I can't talk and all.'

"Anything at all Todd, you just let me know and I will totally help you! I promise I won't leave your side for a seco-"

"LINDSAY!! Where the heck are you!?" Came Heather's angry voice, "Our next challenge is starting!"

"Oh!" The blonde quickly stood, "Gotta go!"

And in a flash she was out the tent, then poking her head back in she said, "I'll be back soon so don't go anywhere okay!"

And again she was gone. If he could Trent might have given an amused chuckle at the ditzy girl but instead, feeling a sudden wave of fatigue, he slowly slipped into sleep.

~*~*~

He supposed he didn't sleep very long…at least it didn't seem long before he slowly awakened back into the conscious world. His green eyes wandered around slowly, the medical tent was empty. Looking straight down he could see a small row of beds and the flap entrance to the medical tent. An IV was stuck in his wrist and trailed up toward a bag of questionable red liquid.

'That's…not blood is it?' He thought with a grimace, 'That's not _my_ blood…is it?'

He took a few minutes to ponder this before deciding to just let the subject drop. He would just have to ask once he was un-paralyzed. Which he hoped would be soon!

Seconds turned to minutes and he had just begun to relieve his boredom by counting the stitches that made up the roof of the tent when footsteps caught his attention.

Soon through the tent flap came Chef his always irritable scowl on his face. Over his shoulder slung Courtney moaning every once in a while in pain a large knot in the middle of her fore head. Non to gently Chef threw her down uncaringly on one of the medical beds.

"Lay down for a while bossy girl!" Cried out the so called doctor in an unnecessarily loud voice. "Least until you start making sense again!"

Again Courtney gave an agonized moan before muttering something that sounded like, "She…is so…going…down…" the last word trailed off as she lost consciousness.

It was then Chef turned his dark eyes onto him. Trent was sure his body tensed under that penetrating glare, he just couldn't feel it.

"Oh so you're awake now?" he growled out irritably.

'Nice to see you to…?' he thought unsurely.

Chef brought his hand up to scratch his chin thoughtfully. "You know," he drawled out in an uninterested tone, "you took a bigger mouthful of that Fugu Shashimi than I had first thought. If I can't get the antidote done you may be paralyzed for longer than twenty four hours like Chris said."

'What!?'

Chef gave a scratchy chuckle at this, "Just to let you know." Then he turned and began to make his way out the tent.

'Hey wait a second! What do you mean_ If_ you can't get the antidote!? What are you-hey get back here! How much longer will I be like this!?'

But Chef was already gone.

~*~*~

By the time Lindsay returned Trent's mind was riddled with worry and turmoil. The blonde looked to the sleeping Courtney for a moment before turning her blue eyes on him. She smiled happily as she made her way toward him hands behind her back she asked,

"Guess what Todd!?"

If he could he would have given her an irritable look, he wasn't in the mood for this.

"I got you something!"

'Unless that something is the answers to all of my questions, I'm really not interested.'

"Do you give up!?" she asked excited.

'Ummm-'

"Tadaaa!" She exclaimed happily as she brought to his attention a bouquet of yellow wild flowers, "They'll make you feel better!" She said happily.

Trent looked away in slight depression, 'No they won't.'

"_Annnd_" Continued the blonde "I've got good news! We won one of the other challenges! But we still got two more to go! This one was an apple and arrow contest! You see what we had to do was-"

Trent allowed his mind to wander here. He really didn't care what Lindsay had to say at the moment and he most certainly didn't care about the stupid challenges. Hell, it was because of these dumb challenges that he was in this predicament in the first place! He just wanted to know when he would get better! He didn't want to be stuck this way forever! And yeah, ok, so he knew that sooner or later without the antidote the paralyses would eventually wear off but Chef had said longer than twenty four hours! Exactly, _how much_ longer than twenty four hours!? Two days? Three days? A week!? He had said he had taken a bigger bite than he had thought, could taking a bite as big as he did cause him to be stuck this way for a week!? Maybe even longer!?

"And that's why Courtney is here now!" Finished Lindsay happily, "I would _sooo_ hate to be Sadie right now!" She giggled.

'Wait...what now?' he thought having only caught the ending of what Lindsay had been saying.

"Ah, all done!" She said looking to her lap.

Trent then brought his green eyes to her lap to see what she was talking about. But he didn't have to try hard for she had raised her creation up to his eye level to allow him a better view.

In her hands she held her yellow wild flowers now woven into a crown.

"Pretty cool huh!?" She asked with unmasked pride.

'If you say so…' He thought uncaringly.

"When me and my sister were little our grandma taught us how to make them. Paula, that's my sister's name, could never do it. She's like _way_ to rough with the flowers and always ends up breaking them! She would always get_ sooo_ totally jealous that mine would always come out perfect!"

Trent continued watching her dully as Lindsay grinned, "It's been like forever since I've made these!" She then brought up the flower crown and began to lean in close.

'Wait, what are you doing!? Wait no don't put that on my head!'

She placed the crown on his head before backing up and observing him then she brought up her hands to try (and fail) to stifle her giggles.

'Great…well as long as the other guys don't see.'

"Oh my god Todd! You look so totally cute right now! I can't wait to show everybody including all the other guys!"

'…Great…'

Lindsay smirked before picking up the left over flowers that were still settled in her lap "You know I can totally make bracelets to! Yep," She smiled, "When it comes to making jewelry out of flowers I'm the best!"

She looked thoughtful for a moment, "Of course I'm good at other things to!" She gave him a guilty look, "I mean like…I know I messed up at our challenge…making you sick…and messing up that cake for the cook off…"

'Well you were just following Heather's recipe for that one.'

"And getting stuck in the quick sand with you on boney island…."

'You were just trying to help.'

She sighed, "I was totally no good in the dodge ball challenge…"

'Yeah, well you were more help than Noah!'

"And I didn't make it that far in the awake-a-thon either…" She trailed off.

'Well not many others did Lindsay!' He thought in exasperation.

"But," She began to once again weave the flowers together, "I'm totally good at other things! Though I don't think the others…really think so…" She saddened slightly Trent wanted to reach out to her but she quickly perked back up with a healthy smile, "But I'll show them! I'm totally helpful!"

Trent wanted to give a reassuring smile, 'You totally are!'

She finished up the flower crown but this one was smaller than the first. She brought up his wrist and slipped the flower bracelet on easily.

He groaned. It was the only sound he seemed capable of making.

"You know what Todd! I really like talking to you! You're, like, such a good listener!"

'Well considering the state I'm in yeah, I'd have to agree with you.' Again he wanted to smile.

"And even though sometimes people say that I can be a chatter box and never know when to stop talking and that it can get totally annoying especially when I start talking in_ reeeaally_ long sentences without pausing, which is something I only do whenever I'm like totally excited or happy, I so don't think you mind!" She stopped then to catch her breath before once again giving him a curious look,

"You _don't_ mind, right Todd?"

'…Nah I don't mind.'

Lindsay watched him for a moment before happily smiling again, "No, I don't think you mind. Especially since…" She looked to the ground her smile slightly unsure before looking back up to him, "You looked like you could really use the company."

Trent stared at her.

Again she gave a small shrug, "I can tell. I mean," She gave a conceited smirk; "I know I'm totally pretty and all." Her smirk slowly faded, "But people don't always…take me seriously…you know. Cause," She looked to him bashfully, "I can be sort of a ditz sometimes…So I know how it feels to be ignored or left out of the loop."

She looked to him with sad blue eyes, "It's not a good feeling."

Trent remembered Chef looking over to him like an annoying burden before leaving the tent with his many questions left unanswered. And how it had left him worried and troubled and scared…

'No it's not…' He thought catching the blonde's sad gaze with one of his own.

Lindsay smiled before opening her mouth to say something to him; however she never got the chance before,

"Ay girl!" Came LeShawna's voice soon followed by her head poking through the tent flap, "There you are!" She smiled, "We've been lookin' all over, it's time to start the next challenge!"

At this Lindsay quickly stood, "Oh, Okay I'm coming!"

LeShawna then looked to Trent, "What's up home boy?"

'Nothin' much just…chillin' here.

She then gave a grin and a snort, "Nice flowers!" she said before leaving the tent laughing.

'Thanks LeShawna…' Trent thought sarcastically.

Lindsay leaned in close and whispered, "See I told you, you look cute!"

Trent groaned again, but Lindsay was already leaving. Turning her head toward him she said, "I'll be back again right after the challenge!"

Trent watched her retreating figure.

'Um, Ok…' He thought after her.

He watched her till she disappeared behind the tent's flap.

'I'll…be here…'

~*~*~

With nothing better to do he allowed himself to fall into another light sleep. But he was soon awakened by the sounds of quiet arguing,

"It's not like I'm asking you to save the world or anything." Came a mumbled voice he instantly recognized as Courtney's.

"Why can't you get them yourself!?" Came Heather's non to kind reply.

"Cause I may be suffering from a_ major_ concussion right now." Said Courtney in an obvious tone of voice.

"Yeah, not my problem!" Said Heather, "If your head is bothering you so much you can get your own meds!"

"The bottle is sitting _right there_!" Snapped Courtney, "You can't walk five steps to pick up a bottle for me!?"

"Nope, sorry." Said Heather in a nonchalant tone.

Trent then opened his eyes to find Heather sitting on a bed beside Courtney's she was busy wringing out her wet hair. Courtney lay on her side glaring up at Heather angrily. Across from the two on a table sat an assortment of medical instruments and bottles of medicine where Trent believed the pain killers Courtney wanted so badly were located.

"Ugh!" Groaned Courtney in irritation, "Where the heck is Chef when you need him!?"

"Tch, yeah right." Muttered Heather, "As if that medical genius would be of any use."

"He got rid of your jelly fish." Stated Courtney wearily clutching the pillow tight to her aching head.

"Yeah, after irritating them so much that they stung me till I thought I might lose all feeling in my face!"

Courtney chuckled at this. Trent wanted to laugh to,

'That is kinda funny.'

Heather narrowed her silver eyes glaring at nothing in particular before muttering,

"This is all that idiots fault! What the hell was I_ thinking_ trusting her!?"

'Trusting who?'

"It's not good enough that she sent Trent to the medical tent for the remainder of the day, no; she also has to get me ferociously attacked by stinging, painful, stupid jellyfish! That…that…Argh!"

'Oh…Lindsay…'

"Hey you're awake." Trent looked up to find Heather looking toward him.

"You agree with me don't you?" asked the raven haired girl, "After all that idiot got you placed in here to."

'Well it's not like she did it on purpose...'

"He can't talk," Came Courtney's know it all voice, "His body is completely paralyzed…duh."

Heather shot Courtney a quick glare before turning her gaze back on him her eyes resting on the top of his head.

"What's up with the flowers?"

Trent wondered for a sec if paralyzed patients could blush and if they could was it noticeable.

"Mmm?" Murmured Courtney, "Oh Lindsay did that…I think…at least I'm pretty sure it was her voice that I heard."

"Ugh, _Lindsay_." Heather seethed between clenched teeth before getting up to her feet and making her way toward him.

"It would be her to do something this painstakingly annoying and stupid!"

She stood before Trent hands on her hips,

"Do you want me to take them off?" She asked him in a mean tone.

Trent Remembered the pride the blonde had showed in her flower crowns. 'Actually…I don't mind all that-'

"Leave it alone." Said Courtney though her tone of voice displayed that she didn't really care all too much about the matter, "If she thinks she's helping let her think that. I mean it must suck knowing you're a screw up _all_ the time let her feel as if she's contributing on _some_ level."

'Hey now that's not-Hey what are you doing!?'

Heather plucked the flowered crown off the young boys head; her grip was tight against the delicate flowers crumpling them mercilessly in her palm.

"I don't believe in giving false hope." She said in a cold tone, "Lindsay is a useless dimwit who can't do anything right! And this," She began to pull away at the crown easily breaking it in half, "_Isn't_ helping."

Trent watched the petals fall gracefully down to the ground an unknown guilt filling the inside of his gut even though he had done nothing wrong.

Taking his flower bracelet she again did the same. Then she smiled down at him,

"You can thank when you're walking and talking again."

'But I didn't want you to take them off!'

"Oh my god!" moaned Courtney in agony, "I need some pain killers! Advil, Tylenol, _anything_!" She cried clutching her head.

Heather rolled her eyes before turning back to Courtney, "God, do you ever shut up!?"

To which, once again, began an argument between the two girls. They ignored Trent for the remainder of their stay in the tent.

~*~*~

Heather left shortly after that soon followed by Courtney (after she had taken a couple of pain killers) and Trent was once again left alone. Looking to his pinky finger he killed time by trying to get it to move. Soon footsteps could be heard approaching but Trent realized they were too loud and heavy to be Lindsay. Chef then came bursting his way into the medical tent.

'Please tell me you have the antidote!'

He walked up to his bed and changed his IV with his usual scowl in place. He did it quickly without so much as a word until he was done then he looked down at the boy and asked (or more like demanded),

"You able to move yet!?"

'Oh yeah I can move, I just decided to stay extra still in this position for the heck of it.'

When Trent gave no answer Chef sneered and rolled his eyes before mumbling something under his breath He then turned ready to make his leave but stopped suddenly looking down. Trent wondered momentarily what it was the larger man was looking at until in a gruff and angry tone Chef spoke,

"Darn that blond girl! Here I go trying to keep a clean medical center and she up and ruins it by throwing weeds all over the place! The _nerve _of some people!"

He was looking at the mess of flowers Heather had left on the ground.

'He considers this place clean?' Thought Trent as he allowed his eyes to scan the rundown dirty tent that made up the medical center.

Still muttering angrily to himself Chef moved to the far end corner of the tent where a broom and dustpan were kept.

Retrieving the items with a hostile air about him he returned to Trent's bedside and began to sweep up the mess. Once done he quickly discarded the now dying flowers into a small trashcan.

"Dirty, rotten, stinking weeds!" He muttered angrily to himself returning the broom and dustpan to their places and then making a show of stalking loudly out of the tent.

Trent wanted to glare at his retreating figure,

'They're not weeds, they're _flowers_!'

But of course his thoughts went unheard and by now Chef was out of sight. For a moment he began to resettle in the silence and the feeling of being alone until a suddenly Lindsay popped up from beside his bed with an upset,

"They're so not weeds they're _flowers_!"

If Trent could move he would have jumped a mile high from the sudden start! Instead his green eyes widened and he made a loud surprised strangled sound which caused the blonde to then look to him.

'What the hell!? Were you hiding down there this entire time just to pop up and say that!?'

Lindsay stared at the boy for a second with a puzzled expression on her face, unsure as to why he had made such a sound. Then suddenly she smiled saying,

"Oh, and just so you know I totally wasn't hiding down there waiting for a chance just to pop up and say that!"

Trent stared, '…Huh…'

"You see," Continued the blonde giving a bashful look, "I've kinda been trying to avoid Heather…I totally messed up our last challenge and now," She looked left and then right as though trying to make sure the coast were clear, then she leaned in close to whisper, "Now I think she's_ mad_ at me!"

She sighed before saying, "I know she's going to yell at me next time she sees me so I stayed away from here but when I saw here heading back towards our cabin I came to see you. But then Chef was here and he always get's all upset about me being in the medical tent when I'm not sick so then I sneaked around to the back of the tent and waited till he left then I crawled under the back part of the tent and here I am!"

She finished proudly moving to sit in her seat next to his side once again.

'After Chef was gone you could've just came through the entrance…' He thought with exasperation.

"She was really mad huh?" asked Lindsay, "Heather, I mean…did she say anything to you?"

"_Lindsay is a useless dimwit who can't do anything right! And this," She began to pull away at the crown easily breaking it in half, "Isn't helping."_

Trent allowed his green eyes to wonder away from the blonde. He doubted that, even if he could talk he would tell her what Heather had said. She didn't deserve that.

Lindsay looked at her hands that were folded neatly in her lap, "I know…" she spoke lowly, "I already know that…she's mad at me."

Silence ensued then she said, "You know, Gwen asked about you."

'Gwen!?'

There must have been some kind of emotion that showed in his eyes alone cause it was then that Lindsay gave him a kind and knowing smile.

"She was going to come and visit you,"

'Oh god no! I don't want her to see me like this!'

"But I think she got to scared or nervous or something…" She smiled down at him and gushed, "You two are so totally cute together!"

Again he wondered about the whole blushing while paralyzed thing, 'Yeah…well…'

"She…" Lindsay gave a forced laugh, "She really gave me a good yelling at…" Her smile was now wistful and sad, "She's _also_ mad at me…"

'Lindsay…'

"I bet you'd feel a lot better if she were in here…I bet you'd feel loads better if she were here instead of me…"

'That's not true Lindsay, you're-'

The blonde stood suddenly moving away from the side of his bed she began to pace slowly back and forth near the foot of his bed.

"And, okay I know I can be a total screw-up sometimes but…but that doesn't mean I'm not trying! Cause I totally _am_ trying! And…and that counts for something doesn't it!?" She looked to Trent then as though he might somehow be able to answer her question. He tried non-the-less,

'It totally does!'

She looked away from him after a moment, "I'm totally useful…" She whispered more to herself than the boy lying before her. Trent wanted to agree with her, give her a reassuring smile, anything! But he could only continue to watch her with hopeful green eyes.

She stopped pacing then she looked back to him and smiled, "I really wish you could talk right now Todd. I mean, I know you're probably still mad at me to right now...but you're always so totally nice that I bet you would still forgive me anyway."

'Course I would!'

She giggled, "That's just the kind of guy you are!"

'Yeah I'm too nice for my own good.' But it wasn't necessarily a trait that he often regret.

Suddenly over the loudspeakers Chris's voice could be heard, "Alright campers! It's time for the last challenge of the day! Let's meet up at the base of the islands cliff in five! McClean _out_!"

"Okay Todd I'll be back, soon as the challenge is over." Lindsay smiled, "I'll be sure to bring you back some more flowers to okay!"

'Looking forward to it.' Again he wished he could smile back.

~*~*~

Trent had to wonder what exactly went on for the final challenge. They were supposed to be near the Islands cliff (which was relatively far from the medical tent) yet he could still hear loud screaming, plain as day, from whatever unlucky campers. That and he could also hear what sounded like explosives going off. Yes he was sure they were explosives, Chris had used explosives just earlier that day for their first challenge. He hoped everyone was alright!

Time slowly passed and by the time the noise and excitement had died down Trent once again felt himself falling into a light slumber.

When he awoke it was close to evening just barely on the brink of nightfall if he could look out the tent he was sure he'd be able to see the last traces of the sun slowly making its way down for the night. Suddenly a fresh sweet scent covered his senses and his eyes moved to the side to find another bouquet of yellow flowers sitting on the side of his bed.

He wanted to smile.

'Thanks Lindsay.'

A few moments time passed when footsteps began to make their way back toward the tent. Again he identified them as Chef's.

Bursting through the tent flap he made his way toward Trent a self centered grin on his face,

"Alright boy! Count your lucky stars I finally got the antidote!"

'Are you serious!? So you can fix me! Thank god!'

"Yep," said Chef through, Trent's overjoyed thinking, as he took a long needle filled with questionable liquid and held it against his arm, "All day I was working on it took time from my busy schedule and everything just to make your stupid antidote!" He stuck the needle in a precise spot in his arm allowing the liquid to be pushed in him,

"I had to cook for all you snot nosed kids, clean up after your messes, help Chris with his little torture challenges and through it all I still found time to make your antidote!"

He could slowly feel the antidote working as feeling gradually began to make its way through his body then with a sudden release his limbs fell limp and loose against the bed and not a moment too soon because he suddenly began to feel a wave of nausea take over. Leaning over the side of the bed his stomach rejected whatever was left of the poisonous fish in one huge, disgusting wave of vomit.

"I wouldn't recommend eating for at least several more hours, just water." Continued Chef watching Trent with a wary glare.

Spitting out the last ruminants of his stomach continents Trent took in a shaky breath and in what felt like forever he spoke up in a raspy and low tone,

"Thank…you."

Chef gave another self centered grin before saying loudly, "Don't mention it!"

Trent, breathing unsteadily, brought weary green eyes up to the large man saying in his raspy tone, "I…wasn't talking to you…"

Then he looked toward the tent entrance and Chef followed his gaze to find a timid and unsure Lindsay standing there. She had arrived just a few seconds after Chef had, but upon realizing the angry doctor was already there seemed uncertain as whether to come in or not. So she had simply stood staring at the entrance the whole time as Chef gave him the antidote.

And he knew she was still upset and unsure and guilty about the whole blowfish thing and he knew that what she wanted was forgiveness and the reassurance that they were still friends. But after today he learned that what she also wanted was acceptance and the knowledge that she actually did make a difference if in any way at all. So instead of telling her what she_ wanted_ to hear he told her the two words she, more than anyone else,_ deserved_ to hear.

"Thank you." He said again with little more clarity never once breaking eye contact with the blonde.

She stared with wide incredulous blue eyes at the musician as he sat up on the bed looking as if just holding up his upper body were a difficult task. He was still horribly pale and his breathing was unsteady and short but his eyes held a look of determination and the need for her to understand just exactly what it was he was trying to say to her. And Lindsay did understand, she had been spending the entire day trying to read messages he could only display through his gaze alone and the message he was sending her now was as clear as day.

You do make a difference.

A smile slowly appeared on the blondes face and her eyes softened in gratitude so overwhelmed with joy she, for the first time in a long time, found herself utterly speechless. So with a light blush and sweet smile she only gave a slight nod before turning and making her way out of the medical tent.

Chef scowled irritably after her while Trent blinked in confusion. Not exactly the reaction he had been looking for, Lindsay was more the type to burst out with happiness at any little complement or word of praise.

Then a sudden happy and loud cry came from not to far outside the tent effectively causing both Chef and Trent to flinch in surprise,

"WHOOOHOOO! I_ TOTALLY_ KNEW I WAS USEFUL!"

Chef's scowl deepened angrily and Trent chuckled in amusement,

"Much better…" He said lowly before lowering his head wearily this action causing something to slip and fall of his head. Blinking he looked to the foreign object only to feel a smile stretch across his face.

He hadn't noticed she had made him another.

On the ground sat another crown woven out of yellow wild flowers.

~Fin~

Reviews are very, very, very, very, very....very, appreciated!=]

Peace)-AR


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